Apparatus for vaporizing hydrocarbons.



P. O. ROWLANDS. I

APPARATUS FOR VAPURIZING HYDROCARBONS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR 3| 191T.

Patented Jan. 8, 1918.

3 SHEETSSHEET 1.

P. n. RQWLANDS; APPARATUS FOR VAPOBIZING HYDROCARBONS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 31.1917 l Patented J an. '8, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3,

'RoiuZa/rvd'a PATENT, OFFICE.

PERCY OCTAVIUS RQWLANDS, OF LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND.

urnna'ros ron vnromzme nvnnocannons.

Specification of Letters iatent.

Patented Jan. s, 1918.

Application filed March 31, 1917. Serial No. 158,947.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PERCY OCTAVIUS Row- LANDs, a subject of the King of England, re-

siding at Liverpool, in the county of Lancaster, England, have invented new and useful Im rovements in Apparatusfor Vaporizin iydrocarbons, ofwhich the following is a specification.

I his invention has reference to the vaporization of liquid hydro-carbon-and morev particularly such as have a greater specific gravity than a spirit, as petrol, alcohol, or

the like-for use primarily as a power-fuel in internal combustion engines; and to vaporizing apparatus used on such'engines therefor.

' The object of the invention is, mainly,-to render the use of hydrocarbon liquids of the character referred to, for producing poiver in motors of self-propelled vehicles or navi able vessels (or under analogous conditions free of difficulties or drawbaclrssuch asat present exist in connection with its use in such motors; and also torender its use nerally more convenient and advantageous; utat the samcvtime it is to be understood hill; the manner ofefiecting vaporization at such liquid hydro-carbons, and the apparatus employed as hereinafter described, can be used with advantage in connection with stationary internal combustion engines.

i In carrying out this inventilom the vaporization of liquid hydro-carbon of the character of mineral oilf such as kerosene and which for convenience hereafter will be designated kerosene is effected by heat corn neratedby the slow and regulated ustion of solid fuel-such, for instance, as charcoal, anthracite, or coke--within a -;f'charnber .or' receptacle into which, and

throughiwhich' the'kerosene is conducted by ducts, say of coil, zig-za'g. or other suitable form, theih'eat produced being transmitted to the kerosene through the wall of the duct or. ducts, and the fuel or its productsof combastion. are not necessarily brought into coni tactwithvthe kerosene.

, Theinvention consists therefore-in an internal combustionengme, in which a hydro carbon liquid fuel of the character. described ratus combined or connected with the engine :is' .emplp'yed, of effecting ,its conversion -'to vapor, in a vaporizing appliance or appaassumed to be disposedat the fore part of the vehicle, and inclosed Within a casing or bonnet, as usual.

In these drawings, Figure 1 is' a longitudinal elevation, Fig. 2 an end view artly in section, and Fig. 3' a plan showing t e engineand its vaporizer.

-B'eferring.to the drawings, 1 generally represents the engine or motor, and 10the vaporizing apparatus. 2 the parafiin supply regulating device, say of the fioat" .type; 3 designates two an and vapor inlet conduits to the engine, each of which has? within it a throttle valve 4; 5 is the vapor inlet controlled valve connected with the in let conduit 3; and 6 is'a conduit or pipe con-, nect ing the vaporizer with the conduit '3 and engine.

7 is the bonnet within which the engine is disposed, and out of which the top of the vaporizer 10 projects.

The vaporizer chamber or apparatus in the case shown, comprises an ext'e'rndllchamher or vessel 11 proper, an internal metal cylinder orliner.12lhaving'within it the spiral kerosene conducting tube or way 13, to the upper end of which the paraffin from the supply controlling device 2 is delivered throughthe duct or port 14, which has upon it a supply regulating screw plug 15.

The duct or way 13 is open on the exterior of the cylinder 12; and has a metal covering sleeve 13: and between this sleeve and ,the interior of'the vessel 11, an asbestos or other equivalent heat non conducting' wall 16 is-introduced, topre'vent the heat'within the apparatus from passing to and escaping from the external vessel 11. r

The lower end of the conduit 13 is connected to' the vapor supply pipes (i -by an annular port 18 in the lower partpf the. lining or. cylinder 12',

du'it 13, communicates.

The upper endof the vaporizer is closed with which thecor'lby a cover 19 adapted to be readily placed in position and removed. In the construction shown, it is hinged at 20, so that it can be swung on the hinge out of place, so exosmg the interior of the furnace vessel 12.

hen in place over the vessel 12, the cover may be held in place by any convenient means.

In the cover 19 is an opening 21 for the discharge of gases of combustion from the solid fuel 3 and upon it there is a gas. dis charge regulating device 22, adapted to screw up and down on a pin 23;and accordmg to its adjustment, so will be the area between the device 5 2, and the discharge lip of the apertures 2t :and so the rate of combustion of the solid fuel, and the temperature of thefurnace orfire is controlled or regulated.

The bottom of the vaporizer vessel 11 has a large opening in it, as seen in Fig. 2; and the furnace and vaporizing cylinder 12, rests on an annular ledge provided with an asbestos joint of 'this vessel 11, the inner edge of which forms the opening; and at the bottom of the cylinder 12 there is a perforated grid or rate 24, suitably supported, upon which t ie'solid fuel in the cylinder 12 rests and burns.

The lower portion of the vessel 11 extends down in the form of a chute 25; and the lower end of this chute is closed by a conical closing plug 26, normally pressed upward by a spring 27, which acts on the head of the rod 28, and normally keeps the cone on its seat. No air enters the chute 25 below, but air is admitted to the furnace and fuel througha hole or holes 30, near the grate 24; and this air is the quantity necessary for retaining the fuel in the cylinder 12 at the degree of temperature required; its control or regulation being effected by the discharge device 22, as above stated. Thus anexact regulation of the rate of combustion, and temperature of furnace is complete, andreadily effected. I

The device 22 being on the top of'the apparatus, access can be readily had to it,

It-is to be noted also that the whole va porizing apparatus or means itself, is mount edou the top of the engine 1, by feet 31 on the chute portion 25 of the apparatus.

In the construction of vaporizer shown esp, cape or relief of vapors from diiferentparts Of ,the length of the-vaporizing duct 13 is rendered possible and provided for; so that the vapor generated at one part, say, the upper part, is not compelled to pass through the whole of the duct. This is eifected by providing at aplurality of points around the c linder 12, vertical passages 33-closed at 't eir upper end by plugs 32-which communicate with the annular port 18. and with the conduit 13' by ho]es\'3-1,.provided: at in tervalsalongthe conduit, asin the manner" shown. By this means the vapor from the kerosene flowing through the conduit 13, soon after it is vaporized and has passed through a certain length of the conduit 13, and is in a suificiently stable condition, can pass directly away to the engine, and does not act upon or interfere with the kerosene and vapor in the succeeding reaches of the conduit 13.

In the case shown, there are assumed to be four cylinders to the motor, and they are supplied with vapor from the apparatus in pairs; namely, for the four cylinders there is one vaporizing apparatus and two vaporsupply pipes 6, and two air and vapor supply valvular devices 35 connected with them.

By such an arrangement, one vaporizing apparatus suffices to supply four cylinders of an engine without the liability of the vapor cooling materially and condensing back to the liquid condition, although it may in part condense to the fog state, which does not matter.

Regarding this air device 35, it consists of a circularly movable perforatedv or grid disk 36 fitting in a casing and seat 37, which is similarly perforated. and the apertures of which surround the discharge aperture on which the vapor supply valve 5 is fitted and works. This air for supporting the combustion of the vapor, will mix with the vapors and pass into the duct 3 to the usual inlet valves of the engine; and these ports being close to the engine cylinders, no material condensation or liquefaction of the kerosene vapors as will cause segregation of' lii uid in these parts and passages, will take p ace.

The valve 5 will be moved off its seat by the minus pressure created bythe charge introducing stroke of the piston; it being normally pressed onto its seat by a suitable light spring thus causing the valve 5 to 0p;

by a pipe 41, the upper end of which communicates with-this chamber by a port.

The disks 36 are adapted to be moved,- and. l the air inlet openings in the caslng 37 opened more or less in consequence, by a bar42' which is connected to them by pins 43,.and

which can be moved in one direction by-a' wire 44 or other connection from a suitable place of control or operation; it being nor.- mally pulled and moved in the other direction by a spring 45. The, limit of movement by the spring, say fora maximum air opening, is effected by an adjustable screw 46 on the end of one ofthejesc'ape pipe socketfib tings of the pipes 41;, against which the'end' of the bar 42 touches when free; while when air opening is required, the bar will be moved away from- -tlns stop by the wire. or

ice

a connection 44. The throttle valves 4 1ikewise will be operated together by suitable means.

Any ash or residue of the fuel in the va-' 'orizmg apparatus 10 which falls into the opper 25, will pass down into the lower vert cal tubular part of it, and can bedischargedfroinit whendesired by simply depressing the upper end of the rod 28; 1tbemg closedafterward by the spring 27. l v

The exhaust'chambers and passages of the cylinders are marked 8. i What is claimed'is:-

1. In combination, a power driven body,

an internal combustion engine mounted on said body, a container adapted to'hold and burn solid fuel; a conduit or chamber heated by and surrounding said container, said fuel adapted to have introduced into it hydrocarbon liquid fuel and to vaporize said oil by heat of combustion of said solid fuel; and

a conduit connecting said va orizing conduit or, chamber with the cy inder of the engine; substantially as set forth.

. 2. In combination, a power driven body, an internal combustion engine mounted on said body, a container adapted to hold and b'urnsolid fuel; a conduit or chamber outside and in contact with the fuel in the container adapted to have introduced into it hydro-carbon liquid fuel; and a conduit conhecting said conduit or chamber with the cylinder of the engine; substantiallyas set forth. Y

3. In an internal combustion engine, a container adapted to hold and burn solid fuel; a conduit or chamberoutside and in contact with the fuel in the container adapted to have introduced into it hydrocarbon liquid fuel; a conduit connecting said conduit or chamber with the cylinder of the engine; and means in connection With the container adapted to limit and regulate the 5 air supply to the solid fuel therein; substandili'erent points of the same for passing thevapors produced at different points of the comluit to the engine cyliluler or cylinders direct; substantially as set forth.

6'. loan internal combustion engine, a container adapted to hold and burn solid fuel; a conduit in the container of continuone form, outside the fuel for vaporizing a hydro-carbon liquid, and having passagesat different points of the same for assin the vapors produced at different points of the conduit to the engine cylinder or cylinders direct; and wherein the latter parts of the conduit are in communication with the earlier parts of same at different points of its length by ports or passages; substantially as set forth.

7. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with the cylinder of a liquid fuel vaporizing appliance having an internal solid fuel containing chamber, a grate at the bottom -of same, regulated gas discharge openin ,a receiver for the solid burnt res1 due be ow the grate, an oil evaporating chamber or conduit, and vapor conduits connected with the oil vaporizin conduit and the inlet for combustible fluicI to the cylinders; substantially. as set forth.

8. In an internal combustiolrengine, the combination of a vaporizer comprising a cylinder having an 'open'bottom, a valve for controllin the opening in the bottom, a valve in tie top of the cylinder, a rate in the open bottom, to receive fuel, a liner in the cylinder, said liner havin a spiral groove on its outer surface whici with the cylinder forms a vaporizing conduit, means I for supplying the conduit'with a regulatable supply of liquid fuel, ducts leading from the lower end of the conduit to the cylinders of the engine, and automatic air inlet valves in said ducts.

9. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a vaporizer comprising a cylinder, a grate in the bottom of the cylin er to support solid fuel, a liner in the cylinder, said liner having a. spiral conduit therein and vertical passages cm'inected by duets with the spiral conduit, means for admitting a rcgulatable supply ofliquid fuel to the spiral conduit, a valve for controlling the gas escaping from the solid fuel, and ducts leading from tho/lower end of thespiral conduit to connect with the cylinders of the engine.-

10. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a vaporizer comprising a container, a grate in the bottom of the cor tainer. a liner within the container, said liner having on its outer surface aspiral groove communicating with a passage at the bottom of the container, said liner having to the u 'iper end of the spiral groove, ducts leading from the passage at the bottom of the container to the engine cylinders, and

h v I 1 V I I automatic valves 1n sald ducts to admit air to the vaporized mixture.

11. A hydro-carbon liquid fuel internal combustion engine comprising in combination an engine cylinder; a liquid fuel sup ply conduit; a vaporizing apparatus adapted tobe heated, and theliquid vaporized, by a source of heat other than that produced by the engine. and consisting of container adapted to receive andhol'd so (1 fuel, and

such fuel to be burned by air therein; and

a conduit'in said apparatus heated by the heat of combustion of the fuel, into which conduit the 'quid is introduced, and in which it is vaporized. u 12. A hydro-carbon liquid fuel internal combustion engine comprising in combine tion an 'oil supply conduit: a. vaporizing conduit down which the oilfis adapted-to flow without filling the same, and through which the gas vaporizedtherefrom is adaptedto pass; a container adapted to hold and burn solid fuel; and to heat the said oil vaporiz-- ing conduit; an engine cylinder; and a conduit communicating with a/ lower portion of the said oil vaporizing co duit, and the said cylinder. y

In, testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' PERCY OCTAVIUS ROWLAKDS.

Witnesses:

SoMERvILLE GOODALL,

' PERCY HUBBARD.. 

